


Let’s get Lost (and Found)

by Tangerine_Catnip



Category: Steven Universe (Cartoon)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/M, Flagrant misuse of geography, Fluff and Humor, Friends to Lovers, Hurt/Comfort, Road Trips, Slow Build
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-03-29
Updated: 2020-04-02
Packaged: 2021-02-28 20:40:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,394
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23373307
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tangerine_Catnip/pseuds/Tangerine_Catnip
Summary: Steven hoped to find himself while exploring the lonely open roads. The hitchhiker he accidentally picked up begs to differ about the 'lonely' part.
Relationships: Spinel/Steven Universe
Comments: 54
Kudos: 162





	1. Day 1 - Beach City to Neptune

The first night Steven spent alone on the road was pure magic. The cassette player blared, the full moon hung overhead, and all the windows were open to let the warm august night in. He left beach city on Route 13, driving south through Delmarva. Heading for the tip of the peninsula and massive elevated tunnel bridge that connected to the mainland. 

After paying his toll at the gate and crossing over the first few small islands, Steven found himself on a stretch of road built on concrete stilts and hovering 5 feet above the open ocean for as far as the eye could see. In the distance, he could see the bright lights of a cargo liner sailing away from port and a few miles in he spotted a small fishing boat swerving though the pillars holding up the highway. 

When he looked straight ahead, Steven felt like he was literally diving across the surface of the ocean with only the horizon and the stars overhead. Some of them he knew by name and had visited, so many planets full of Gems. Once all that had been his responsibility, but now they were countless light-years away.   
  
Steven pulled over just before entering the tunnel, parking in one of the designated spots. He climbed out of the driver's seat to stretch his legs and take in the view. A red SUV was parked ahead of him, baring a bumper sticker that read; 'My child is an honour student at Meadowbrook High'. It was ripped in the corner from an unsuccessful attempt to pealing it off. 

Two girls about his age sat on the traffic barrier near it. One was sitting back and smoking and the other was on their phone. 

Steven stepped over the barrier and went right up to the hip-high chain link fence. Rocks that had been dug out to make the tunnel held up this part of the highway. The ocean licked at the rough boulders, the waves coming to an unexpected stop on this human construction. 

Steven had never left the Delmarva peninsula this way before. He'd gone north up to Keystone, or to Empire via Jersey, but never south. 

That was the point of this trip, to do things he had never gotten the chance before. Steven curled his fingers around the aluminium pole on top of the fence and leaned over it far enough his flip flops left the concrete. He took a deep breath of the fresh sea air. He was only a few hours away from home, but it already smelled like freedom. 

"Hey, kid! Get your ass away from there." 

Steven drooped back down and looked over his shoulder. The girl holding the vape pen was glaring and pointing the nozzle end at him. Steven thought calling him 'kid' was a little rich coming from someone who was at most two years older than him, but he was glad to have an excuse to talk with them. 

"Oh, sorry. I guess that was a little dangerous. I'm Steven, by the way."   
He held out his hand. Vape pen girl gave him a wary look but took it anyway. 

"Lulu, and this is my girlfriend Khloe." 

Lulu gestured to her companion. Khloe glanced up and tucked her phone away, smiling back at Steven. They made for an interesting pair. Lulu had dark curly hair down to her shoulders and was wearing an oversized hoodie and jeans. In contrast, Khloe had her long hair tied up in a bun and a floral wrap over her ankle-length sundress. 

"Nice to meet you!" Steven flashed them his best grin. "Where're you guys heading?"

"Neptune beach. You?" Lulu replied.

"Around, I'm going to visit every state. Get a feel for what it's like out there." 

"Really? that's a heck of a trip, dog." 

Steven wasn't sure if Lulu was more sceptical or impressed. Khloe tilted her head to the side and frowned. 

"Are you going all by yourself?" she asked. 

Steven blinked at her, not sure how to take that question. 

"Uh, yeah! It's kind of a self-discovery thing." 

Lulu barked a laugh. "Dude, you're going to be soo bored! Have you ever been out west before? When you get out in the middle, there's nothing but cows and corn for days. Then it's straight nothing but sand after." 

  
Khloe nodded, "I wouldn't want to do it alone. It's hard enough only having Lulu."

"I'm right here," Lulu reminded her. 

"Yes, you are," Khloe agreed.

Steven shrugged his shoulders. He didn't want to get into it but right now, being alone with miles between him and anyone to coddle him was precisely what he needed. 

"I'm going to be meeting up with friends along the way. So, I won't be totally alone. Just, you know, most of the time." 

Lulu and Khloe traded a look. 

"Ooooookay. Well good luck with that," Lulu said. 

"Maybe we'll see you on the beach," Khloe added.

"Yeah, maybe! I hope you have fun!" 

Steven waved to them and went back to his car. He popped open the glove box on the passenger side and pulled out his map and a big red pen. He traced a line from Beach city to the Bridge-Tunnel halfway across Cheesecake Bay. 

He'd put a star over Beach city and another over Providence island where he was meeting up with Connie. Until then, there were some places he'd heard about his whole life that he wanted to visit. 

He folded the map back up and climbed over the gear shaft into the driver's seat. He adjusted his rear-view mirror and caught a glimpse of the backseat packed full of everything he kept from his old life and…

Steven blinked and turned to look over his shoulder. His gaze ran over all the suitcases, the boxes, the cooler full of drinks, the grocery store bags full of potato chips and his red satchel with his birth certificate and cash.   
Everything seemed to be just where he had left it. Steven shrugged and shifted into first gear before making a U-turn off the pull-away.

Khloe sat up, craning her head to the side as she watched the 1980s hatchback merge into the southbound lane.   
  
"Did you see that?"

Lulu nodded. "Yeah, looks like he's got a giant pink rabbit in his backseat."

Khloe pursed her lips. "Should we say something?"

Lulu shrugged. "Nha, some people are just into that." 

* * *

The tunnel parts of the crossing were less scenic than the bridge parts. After traversing the long incline leading up to the entrance and passing multiple signs telling him to turn on his headlights, Steven found himself on a two-lane road surrounded by white tile. It was hard to imagine that a whole ocean was over his head, except for a lingering sense of pressure that he might have just imagined.

The Tunnel-bridge switched between its two forms for the rest of the half-hour crossing, then ended by melding back into the ground and becoming a typical highway once more. From there it was only a few more miles to Neptune City. 

As he pulled into the parking lot of the Holiday Hut, Steven felt a tingle of excitement and nerves in equal measure. This was his first night on the road. The first night of the beginning of the rest of his life. Steven tilted his seat back and looked up at the picture taped to the outside of the driver's side sun visor. 

Garnet, Amethyst, and Pearl smiled down at him. The picture had been taken earlier that night, but it felt like it had been in another lifetime. Steven took a deep breath, feeling the tears well up in his eyes again.   
He crossed his arms over his chest and hugged himself tightly. He missed them so much already, but he knew it would get easier with every passing day. 

"Aww, don't cry, it's gonna be okay."

Steven sat bolt upright and twisted around in his seat. He was alone, both in the car and the parking lot. 

"Great, now I'm hearing things…" he muttered, rubbing his eyes with both hands. "I think all the crying took more out of me than I thought." 

He grabbed his satchel out of the backseat and slung it over his shoulder. He locked the car and made it about five steps towards the Hotel entrance before his hatchback started wailing and flashing its lights.   
Steven spirited back and put his key back in the lock, the blaring sound stopped once the door was open. Steven signed and locked the door again. 

"Jeez, not you too," Steven muttered, giving his car a pat on the hood. "I'm taking you with me. You've got all my stuff after all."

Steven put his keys back into his pocket. "-and I'm talking to myself… Ugh, maybe those girls on the bridge were right."

The lobby of the Holliday Hut had the same basic layout as the hundreds of other Huts dotted along the coast. A few chairs, a natural gas fireplace, and neutral décor. Steven had a reservation already, so checking in went quickly. 

"Two keys?" 

"Uh, no, one is just fine."

The receptionist nodded and took one of the plastic cards back. 

"Have a good rest." She smiled at Steven and then to someone behind him. Probably the next person in line. 

Steven stifled a yawn as he made it to his room and unlocked the door. He dropped his bag on the floor and went right over to the bed, flopping down face-first. He'd get up and brush his teeth in a minute, but for now, it felt great just to lay in the dark… just for a few more minutes. 

He wouldn't remember it the next morning, but part of him felt the hand gently rubbing his back and heard the soft humming that pulled him further into his dreams.

* * *

> **Day 1 - Beach City to Neptune**


	2. Day 2 - Neptune to Chicken-Walk

Steven forced his arm up and away from his eyes. Everything in him wanted to keep sleeping, but he was too uncomfortable and hot to lay still anymore.

He sat up, finding that his promise to get undressed had gone unanswered. He'd somehow managed to tuck himself under the covers, though he didn't remember it. 

He fished around in his pocket for his phone, but its battery was flat dead. He sighed and rubbed his eyes again. "So much for an early start."

After a lengthy steaming shower, Steven was feeling human again. He combed out his hair and brushed his teeth for an extra few minutes to make up for the night before. 

As he was pulling on his pants, he heard a knock at the door. He tugged his shirt on and opened it, but there was no one there. Then, he spotted a tray full of food resting on the carpet. 

Steven kneeled and picked it up by the handles. He knew that his night had included breakfast, but he'd thought he'd needed to go out to the lobby to get it for himself. He brought the tray inside and rested it on the small desk next to the dresser and TV stand. There was a steaming cup of coffee, scrambled eggs, toast with jam, and a bowl of fruitloops. It was heavier than Steven usually went for, but it was getting late enough in the day that it would have to count as brunch. 

He checked his texts as he ate. There was a pile from Pearl asking if he had made it to Neptune safe and sound, one from garnet saying she'd predicted he'd fall asleep and told Pearl he was fine, and two from Amethyst begging for tips on how to beat the first boss of Definitive Fantasy 7. 

He was also tagged in a selfie of Peridot wearing his shirt, a watercolour of Little Homeworld Tower that Lapis had painted, and a post from Bismuth about what colour frame would best match the Crystal Gem battle flag. 

Steven replied to them, then opened his itinerary. He was already off schedule, but he had plenty of flexibility in his plans. It wouldn't be much of a journey of self-discovery if he followed a list to the letter. Steven scrolled down to the recommended activities. There wasn't much in Neptune he would regret missing. So he decided to hit the road to see where he ended up next. Steven gathered up his bags and placed the tray outside his door on his way out. 

The receptionist smiled over her shoulder at him as he slid his key card into the express checkout box. 

"Have a safe trip!"

"I will! -And thanks for delivering breakfast."

The receptionist blinked at him, her fingers pausing on her keyboard. "Oh, no, Sir. Your girlfriend got that for you."

Now it was Steven's turn to confused. 

"Oh, no. My girlfriend is checking out the dorm rooms at ECU! The University of Empire city? Empire City U? Although, I guess she could teleport here with Lion if she wanted. She probably would have told me then." 

Steven could see that he was only further confusing the unfortunate woman, so he decided discretion was the better part of not being awkward. "I'll just be going now, thanks again!" 

* * *

Steven pulled out the adapter that allowed his 2020s Cellphone to charge off the 1980s cigarette lighter in his dashboard and opened google maps. He still had enough time to pass by the Aircraft carriers stationed in Mermaid Naval Base. He had to park at a distance to avoid the restricted areas, but even from a mile away, the sheer scale of the massive armoured ships was impressive. They reminded Steven a bit of the gigantic dragon turtles that lived on Gliese-876-C. They glided through the water waiting for a corvid to land on their flat backs and drop off bugs that would nibble away the algae on the turtle's shell, keeping it clean and healthy. Just like how the crew of each ship kept it in perfect working order, despite looking like ants in comparison. 

Travelling the galaxy had helped Steven realize that life always mirrored life. No matter what form it took. He could go to the farthest end of known space and still find things that reminded him of home. 

The hottest part of the day was approaching, and Steven wanted to hit the beach before he missed it. He climbed back into his car to start his journey south to the barrier islands. 

Steven had grown up hearing all about the other seaside towns on the east coast. Usually from the tourists who flocked into Beach City every year. Comparing this waterfront to that one, where the better tanning, fishing, or waves were. He wanted to start with something familiar and reassure himself if there really wasn't anywhere better than Beach City. 

The blue dot on his phone screen followed the 168 until it became the 158, then took a sharp turn off into the ocean, onto another bridge the barely rose above the waterline. On his left, a series of concrete power lines stuck out of the water in pairs of two.

The original poles stood broken and rusted next to their replacements. They'd worn out over the years, or more likely, suffered the wrath of a seasonal hurricane. By the looks of things, it hadn't been worth the power company's time to take them out while installing the new ones. 

The Black cables looked so fragile and thin, but the power they supplied was vital for everyone living on the islands. Steven wondered if there was a better way. If this was somewhere, humans should be living. Two years ago, Beach City had suffered a major flood, one of the few non-gem related disasters in recent history. They had fared better than most of the peninsula towns, thanks to Nana Nanefua's strong leadership and help from the gems of little Homeworld. 

The thing Pearl had said afterwards had stuck in Steven's memory like a splinter. She said that she had never seen the ocean rise so high that it reached the base of the Gem Temple. Her tone had been jovial, but it had a dark implication. That one day it might force the Gems to give up the home they had treasured for multiple millennia and allow the statue of Obsidian to crumble away. 

The earth was changing, bit by bit. Nothing stayed the same forever. Not statues, not the ground itself, even gems changed once they set foot on it. 

This change didn't feel like it was the good kind. 

The bridge ended abruptly, snapping Steven out of his revelry with a sudden abundance of green after the endless blue. He bit his lip. Maybe he should stop to eat. If his mood was anything to go by, he could use a boost to his blood sugar. 

After another half-mile, he found himself in the heart of Chicken-Walk. The 'Cradle of Aviation' according to his uncle Andy. From the front seat of his car, Steven would have guessed laying on the beach and eating crabs was the real pride and joy of this small city. 

Steven spotted a colourful restaurant with two stories of outdoor patios packed with tables and beach umbrellas. Steven pulled in and spent the next two hours relaxing, watching the crowds, and exploring the nearby gift shops. 

He was planning on sending the Gems care packages from his travels, so he took his time perusing what the sign outside claimed was 'LOCAL ART'. There were hand-painted buoys covered with sequins and made up to look like fish or mermaids, necklaces made of seashells, license plates artfully rearranged or bent to create lighting fixtures, unique paintings of beaches, piers and lighthouses, a clock that looked like a tortoise, and a dresser made from driftwood. 

For Greg, Steven picked out a piecemeal license plate that used letters from 5 different states to spell 'born 2b wild.' Pearl got Oyster earrings. Garnet got blue and red sea glass, and after thinking about it long and hard, Steven ended up grabbing some saltwater taffy for Amethyst. He figured she had enough of her own junk already. 

He also got two things for himself. A pair of sunglasses with lenses in the shape of stars and a bumper sticker to commemorate the fact he had officially crossed over into a brand new state; Tar Heel. The sticker had a depiction of a foot with a black spot on the heel. It was probably the best of a bad lot of options when visualizing a name like that. 

Steven dropped his bags off in the back of his car and went to plaster the sticker on. It looked a little lonely all on its own, but with any luck, it would have 39 others to keep it company soon enough. As he was smoothing out the sticker, Steven felt the suspicion on his car suddenly dip. He lost his grip on the bumper, landing on his knees in the sand. 

"Hey! Don't-"

Steven got to his feet, expecting to see someone leaning on his car. He walked around and still found nothing. 

Steven felt two icy fingers walk their way down his spine. It was so warm he had taken his jacket off, but Steven shivered despite it. He remembered this feeling. The creeping dread that there was something plainly obvious he wasn't letting himself see.

Something he was avoiding. 

He took out his phone, making a note to mention this to his therapist. He was trying to keep track of his avoidance behaviours and anxiety levels so he could batter manage them. For now, he took several deep breaths then got back into the driver's seat. 

He pulled out of the parking lot and circled back to Route 12. He was staying the night at Cape Hatdress, but there were plenty of beaches to check out along the highway on the way there. 

* * *

A loud ring from the dashboard pulled Steven's attention away from the scrubland and sandy highway. If you had asked him a moment ago if something seemed usual with his car, he would have said no. Even though, looking back on it, he would remember the wheel being hard to turn and the air conditioning wasn't working.

The red display behind the steering wheel displayed a single word; Overheat. 

He pulled over as soon as he could. He could see the steam rising from his hood and smell the cloying sweetness of the evaporated radiator fluid. Steven turned the engine off and gathered himself. 

He didn't feel as anxious as he thought he would on his first breakdown. It was like he had strapped himself into a roller coaster and there was no turning back. He walked around to the front. The hood was burning hot. He encased his hand in a pink shield fitted like a glove and felt for the latch. He snapped it open and pulled the hood up. 

A pair of magenta eyes looked guiltily up at him. Spinel had flatted herself almost completely to fit inside the engine without denting the hood. With the sound of a rubber chicken inflating, Spinel popped back into shape. She sat up and nonchalantly scooted to one side. She didn't make it too far, though, because she'd also somehow caught her left arm between the wheels where the serpentine belt belonged. 

"Oh, Steven! Long time no see!" 

"Spinel-" Steven began, cool as the bottom of the Mariana Trench, "what happened to my fan belt?"

Spinel took her right hand out from behind her back and handed Steven a thoroughly charred length of rubber. 

"So before you leap to conclusions. I wantcha to know I was trying to help! There was this kinda 'Ba-dunk! Ba-dunk' sound, and then this belt thing came flyin' off, and then it got boiling hot! I tried to fix it but… I don't think I did it quite right." 

Spinel stuck her tongue between her lips and tried unsuccessfully to unwind herself from the many wheels. She stood up on the engine and started pulling. Something inside the engine went crack!

"Whoops…" Spinel looked at Steven beseechingly, her eyes growing cartoonishly wide. "I uh… I could use a little help here." 

Steven held up a finger to show he needed a moment. He turned toward the beach, dropping the belt on the archivolt as he left. 

"Wh-where're you going?" Spinel shouted after him. Steven ignored her and continued picking his way through the brush. Spinel jumped down from the engine. She could keep stretching to follow him, but it didn't seem like Steven wanted her around right now. 

Spinel watched him vanish behind the bushes. The ground beneath her shuddered, knocking Spinel onto her butt. A roar louder than the engines of Homeworld's cruisers rent the air. A pillar of sand shot ten feet into the sky, leaving behind a cloud of dust and debris that was almost finished settling by the time Steven returned to the road. 

He sat down, crossed-legged on the edge of the asphalt and rested his head in both hands. Spinel came over and leaned over him, her pigtails flopping to one side. 

"Are you okay, Steven?"

Steven scrubbed his face with both hands and sighed heavily. "No. I'm not." 

Spinel plopped beside him with a squeak and crossed her legs. 

Steven lowered his hands and dug his fingers into his thighs. "This is your fault," he muttered, glaring at the road like he was talking to it.

"Ma-Ma-Ma-me?" Spinel protested. "But I didn't break it! It just came loose!"

Steven growled through gritted teeth, his cheeks flushing an unnaturally bright pink. 

"Yeah? and I'm sure it 'coming loose' had nothing to do with the fact there was a GEM HIDING IN MY ENGINE!" 

The force of his shout sent Spinel toppling backward gem over tea-kettle. She righted herself by turning it into a one-handed backflip and landed on her feet. 

"Stttttttttttteeeeeeeeeeven~!" She singsonged as bounded back over. "Doya need a hug, buddy?" 

The pink slowly faded from Steven's face. 

"…"

Spinel grinned at him and held up the arm not caught in his engine.

"… yes."

"Aww! C'mere!" 

Spinel hugged him tightly, stretching her other hand over from the engine to complete the hug. Steven focused on his breathing and flipped through his coping strategies. Throwing a fit wouldn't help right now. He needed to get his car to a mechanic to get it fixed… and free Spinel. 

"Spinel... don't pull your arm anymore. We'll find someone who can fix it."

"Okey, dokey, lokey!" Spinel agreed, jumping to her feet and carrying Steven with her. "but, uh, dotcha want to know what I was doing in your engine?" 

Steven waited for Spinel to finish untangling herself from him. He brushed down his clothes, clearing away most of the sand. 

"No. Not really." 

He walked up to his car and stretched his arms, joining his fingers over his head and bending down to touch his toes. Spinel tilted her whole body to the side as she watched Steven close the hood of his car, reach under the bumper, and host the whole thing into the air with one hand. 

"Wowsers! There's that Diamond strength again! I guess you still got it, huh?" 

Steven shuffled his hands down the chassis of his hatchback until he was holding it close to the centre of mass. It didn't matter to him, but the car wouldn't tolerate being held up by its bumper. 

"Spinel. Get on top, please." 

"Aye, aye, Captain!" Spinel jumped up and clambered onto the roof of the car. "All aboard who's coming aboard! Hoist the mainsail and weigh anchor! Wait, it's 'weigh' right? I mean like pull it up, not tell how heavy it is… maybe it's 'weigh the mainsail' and'hoist the anchor'? No, I think I was right the first time." 

"Spinel, could you do me a favour?" 

Spinel popped her head over the side of the back-left tire and flashed him an upside-down grin. 

"Sure, thing sunshine!" 

"Could you stop talking?"

"Can do! I'll just sing instead!" 

"No! No, just quiet, okay?"

"Can I hum?"

"Can you do it quietly?" 

"Super quiet, you won't hear a thing!" 

Steven heard many things on the long walk back. 

> **Day 2 - Neptune to Chicken-Walk**

****

**Author's Note:**

> The map design was made for me by [Coranada ](https://archiveofourown.org/users/capitalnineteen/pseuds/capitalnineteen) Thank you so mutch!


End file.
